Denial of Interest
by Molly Renata
Summary: When friends become enemies out of the blue, can one discover the reason behind the other's dissent? AU, probably OOC, rated to be safe.
1. Discord

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Notes: This is going to be a more serious fic, so just warning you guys in advance. The name is kind of corny and nonsensical, but I couldn't come up with a better one without borrowing one from my list of anime music._

_Anyway, here's chapter 1. I hope to continue this, but I'm not sure if my inspiration will hold out long enough._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

_"Even those who share the same common goal may become enemies."_

It was just another humid summer night in Edo; people returning home after a long day's work, mischievous children straying beyond the watchful eyes of their parents, the occasional thug being apprehended by the city's guardians. There was _nothing_ abnormal about the situation... and nothing notable about this night.

In the case of Kotarou Katsura, however, merely _living_ was a struggle in itself. He plotted to change the country from within, and while he had used violent techniques in the past, his heart had changed after a meeting with one of his old comrades from the Joui War... but he was still a wanted man, and he still had to hide from the government's most skilled watchdogs - the Shinsengumi.

If anything could be said about Katsura's life, it was far from _boring_ or _ordinary_. And there was no greater proof of that fact than this night; while everyone else lived their lives as they did every other day, Katsura hid in an alleyway and watched the street outside to ensure that there were no dogs of the government sniffing about.

There weren't. The person that caught his eye was someone he knew... a young woman with long black hair and a single brown eye. They had only met a few times before, but due to their similarities, Katsura had branded this woman his rival.

The heir to the Yagyu clan, Kyubei - a woman raised as a man, just as skilled with the sword as any true samurai, and _always_ wary around the opposite gender.

"...Sir Kyubei."

Katsura addressed her in a quiet tone; he didn't expect an answer, but was surprised when she stopped and turned to look at the alleyway he was hiding in. The Joui leader's survival instincts flared up - he was _not_ about to lose to Kyubei, whether it be a contest of wits, character, or strength, and he had a feeling that, for once, this contest would be of the last sort.

And, just as Katsura thought that, Kyubei darted into the alley; before he knew it, the Joui had a sword at his throat. He took a step back, alarmed by the suddenness of the attack... had Kyubei sensed his intent and moved to silence him first?

If the situation were any different, Katsura would have parried the sword with his own... but he was caught off-guard by the fact that Kyubei even _had_ a sword in the first place, and he noted that her speed was greater than he thought her capable of.

"Zura." Kyubei sheathed her sword and peered at Katsura, her expression blank. "Did you want to speak with me about something?"

Katsura narrowed his eyes in response. "No, I did not. I happened to notice you, and that is all. If it is a swordfight you desire, I will not back down from your challenge."

"...A challenge, you say?" Kyubei perked up at this. "I suppose there's no harm in doing so." She paused to draw her sword, and a faint smile crossed her face. "Be on your guard, Zura!"

Katsura did not fail to notice Kyubei's smile - regardless of her intent with that expression, to him, it was a condescending statement, a symbol of how she looked down on him. But at this point, only one thing needed to be said... and as he drew his own sword, the Joui leader's gaze hardened into a glare.

"It's not Zura. It's Katsura."

* * *

Kyubei still didn't understand why Katsura seemed to hate her; they had been comrades in the past, and as strange as he was, Katsura didn't seem the type to hold a grudge so easily. When he called out to her in the alleyway, Kyubei didn't know who it was at first, and her body reacted before her mind did - but then he challenged her, and for some reason beyond her understanding, it wasn't _just_ a duel.

The raven-haired Joui attacked with intent to kill. His style was similar to Gintoki's, so Kyubei at least had an idea of what to expect, but never before had she seen such fury in Katsura's eyes... and she _never_ expected him to go all out.

The battle ended with Kyubei's retreat; no matter how dishonorable it was, she didn't know the _reason_ for that fight, and there should have been no reason for him to attack her so viciously. They were comrades, after all, and at times, Kyubei would dare to go as far as to call Katsura a _friend_... but that was no longer an apt description of their relationship.

What had gone wrong between them? After what they'd been through together, what created this resentment? And was there any way to resolve this situation?

These questions raced through Kyubei's mind on her way back to the Yagyu estate; without knowing what was wrong in the first place, she couldn't even begin to fix things. It was true that their personalities were similar at times, and that Katsura sometimes got upset with her over that, but that fact was trivial at most - nothing to break a friendship over. And it was also true that she was the heir to a family with close ties to the government, and he was openly opposed to the government... but she never cared much for her supposed 'celebrity' position, and she didn't think that was the reason for his outburst, either.

Of course, now was not the time to think about it; it was already late, and Kyubei should've been in bed already. Perhaps she could consider this more tomorrow, and maybe even meet up again with Katsura to discuss it-

"Oi. You shouldn't be walking alone so late at night."

Kyubei recognized the voice; a rough voice, hardened by years of smoking. She glanced back to see the Shinsengumi vice-commander, Toushirou Hijikata, standing behind her - just like their first meeting, he mistook her for someone younger than she actually was.

"...I can handle myself," the Yagyu heir shot back, as she turned around and stepped closer - close enough that Hijikata would have no excuse if he continued his warning. "Did you forget my face already?"

"Oh." Hijikata narrowed his eyes and frowned. "It's _you_."

Kyubei gave a single nod, then turned back and continued on her way. She didn't need _protection_... the only person that could give her pause at this point was Katsura, and there was no way he'd show up in the same place as Hijikata.

Before she could move out of hearing range, however, Kyubei heard Hijikata's voice again. "Be careful, you. The Joui have been getting more active lately, and who knows what they're up to... there was a bombing not too far from here just yesterday. Best to stay away from 'em."

_'A bombing...'_ Kyubei repeated those words in her head with a frown; Katsura would _never_ do something like that, so she dismissed the possibility of him generally becoming more violent as of late. Still, it was something to worry about for both of them... even though Katsura was a Joui himself, and the leader of his own faction, there _were_ other factions, and no matter what sort of goal they all had, there would be conflict so long as there was a difference in opinion. And though Hijikata couldn't have known about Kyubei's fight with Katsura in the alley, there _was_ the possibility that he knew of their connection.

"I'll keep an eye out," Kyubei stated, after a pause. "...You should be careful, too."

Hijikata huffed in response, then began to walk away; Kyubei watched the vice-commander as he left, but didn't say anything else. Her conscience had not been eased at all by his words... and, in fact, she now had even _more_ questions on her mind.

Katsura's life was dangerous enough with the Shinsengumi after him. If he had to worry about his fellow Joui as well, Kyubei considered the possibility that he wouldn't live to see the day that they made up for that fight.

But still, it was no time to think of things like that. Kyubei was tired, and she could seek her answers in the morning... no violent Joui would step near the Yagyu estate, so long as the family's guardians kept watch.

* * *

_Author's Note: This'll be an exercise in pacing for me, so if I start hurrying things too much, I want you guys - the readers - to call me out on it, okay? I welcome critique, especially when it comes to things like this._

_Anyway, thanks for reading!_


	2. Ripples in the Night

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Notes: And chapter 2. I have plans for the next few chapters, so hopefully the delays won't be quite so long this time._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

The next day went as it usually did for Kyubei; her everyday routine hadn't changed, and the only thing she considered adding to her schedule was an evening walk in the city. She still couldn't come up with any reasons for Katsura's sudden hatred of her, but it wasn't something to worry about - they'd never been _that_ close, and mending their friendship could wait until later.

After all, even if he had more than one enemy this time, Katsura had lived through a lot, and he wouldn't die easily. Kyubei had been too distraught to consider that factor the previous night, but with her head cleared, she had no reason to worry.

Still, an evening stroll didn't sound so bad. She needed to get out more, and that was one way to do it... even if her father didn't approve.

So, when the sun began to set, Kyubei left the relative safety of the Yagyu estate and ventured out into the streets of Edo; she made sure to keep her escape secret from her guardians and family, as they would have insisted on escorting her if she told them beforehand. She wanted to see the sights of Edo without any protection, as she could protect herself... and what point was there to having a sword if one had no reason to use it?

The air was even more stifling than it had been the previous day, and Kyubei almost regretted leaving the estate in her normal attire. For the time being, though, she made an effort to ignore it - there was a _very_ interesting pastry shop just around the corner, and she'd heard from at least one person that trying new sweets was a feminine sort of thing to do.

Of course, the one person she knew that loved sweets most was male, so perhaps that wasn't good advice... but there was no harm in trying.

And sure enough, as Kyubei stepped inside the shop and glanced around, she saw a familiar fluffy silver head among the crowd; the leader of the Yorozuya Gin, who had helped Kyubei on more than one occasion, was, as far as she knew, the one person in all of Edo that understood Katsura to any extent.

"Good evening."

Kyubei waved at Gintoki, though she didn't expect to get a response from him at first - the shop really _was_ crowded. And, as she expected, there was no response from him... until he sat down at a table and gestured for her to come over, which surprised her a bit. Still, she followed his direction and joined him at the table; for a moment, Kyubei could see the surprise in Gintoki's eyes, but his expression soon faded to his typical indifference.

"What're you doing out so late?" Gintoki asked, raising an eyebrow. "You finally get sick of being cooped up in that stuffy mansion with all those weirdos?"

Kyubei pointed her gaze at the table. "It's... partially that, yes. But I was hoping to... ah, ask you about someone..."

"Someone?" Gintoki blinked. "What 'someone'?"

"...Zura," Kyubei replied, after a brief silence. "I met with him yesterday... and he seemed upset. He challenged me to a duel, but..."

Gintoki propped his elbow up on the table, then rested his head on his hand. "Who knows what that guy's thinking? He's been freaking out about you lately, so maybe he just wanted to take back his position or something like that."

"I don't think that's what it was about." Kyubei shook her head and frowned. "He was... more violent than usual. Like he wanted to kill me... he's never been like _that_ before."

Gintoki waved his free hand, dismissive. "You're thinking too far into it. He probably just got caught up in the moment and went a little nuts. He does that a lot, y'know."

"...I guess." Kyubei closed her eye and breathed a small sigh. "Ah, there's one more thing I wanted to ask you about... when I was on my way home last night, Hijikata stopped me and told me that the Joui were becoming more active. Do you think... that Zura has something to do with that?"

Gintoki fell silent for several seconds as he pondered this; then, he straightened his posture and narrowed his eyes a bit. "Wouldn't put it past him. Like I said, he gets worked up easily... maybe he figured out his tactics weren't doing any good. But... now that you mention it, there was a bombing around here not too long ago... Zura's crazy and all, but I'm pretty sure he gave up on blowing stuff up."

"Hijikata mentioned that, too," Kyubei said. "I dismissed it at the time because it didn't seem like the kind of thing Zura would do... hm. That's a relief. Thank you, Gintoki."

Gintoki made a face. "If it really means that much to ya, why don't you pay for my parfait? You're a celebrity, right? Do some good with all that money of yours."

"I-I don't..." Kyubei tried to voice her objection, but then realized that doing so would be futile; it was impossible to argue with Gin, especially when it came to his sugar. "...fine. I'll pay for it this time."

* * *

Katsura had heard rumors about the uprising from his fellow Joui; there were a few factions that had started to grow impatient, and they planned to make their most daring move against the government yet. The setup for it was elaborate, as most Joui plans were... but the more Katsura learned about the plans of the other factions, the more he wanted to do something to _stop_ it.

After all, he had learned from Gintoki that needless bloodshed solved nothing. Katsura _was_ a Joui, and he wished to change the country just like all the others - but he did _not_ condone violence among his faction.

That was why the recent bombing reports only worried him. Two in Kabukicho, with minimal repercussion; one in Yoshiwara, which confused Katsura to no end, as Yoshiwara was a separate entity with no ties to the government. And, of course, the central government itself had been attacked a few times, though those were glancing blows in the long run.

There were even times when Katsura questioned his own subordinates - were _they_ thinking of joining in the chaos and violence? If they did, that would make them no better than _Takasugi_...

Katsura realized then that he was lost in thought, a problem that rarely happened while he was scouting. He narrowed his eyes and pressed his back against the wall of the alleyway, peering out to ensure that no one had seen him; no black uniforms or patrol cars assailed him, so he let out a breath he didn't even notice he was holding.

The Shinsengumi hadn't noticed him this time... he was in the clear for now. But it would be a bad idea to linger in this particular place any longer.

Katsura crept out from within the alleyway, still on guard; though he didn't _see_ any Shinsengumi around at the moment, that did not mean there _weren't_ any. The scene of the second bombing was nearby, and as long as the patrols were lax, he could investigate without interruption-

"Well, if it isn't the _Young Noble of Fury_."

The voice caused Katsura to freeze for just a moment; when he regained control of himself, he turned to face the person that had spoken. There were no black uniforms here either, but there _were_ several people that appeared to be common thugs... the only thing that worried Katsura was that he _recognized_ their leader.

Perhaps this was one of the many Joui factions that planned to make their move?

* * *

_Author's Note: Cliffhanger, yes. I'll go more into detail about this later, if I remember._

_Also of note - I have __**no idea**__ if I'm portraying Kyubei anywhere close to right. She's a surprisingly hard character for me and I don't even know why. So I'd like your input on that, if you don't mind~_

_Toodles!_


	3. Unseen Hatred

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: And chapter 3. This one caused me a bit of problems, but I figured it all out in the end._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

When it came to fighting, Katsura preferred underhanded techniques to facilitate escaping; however, there were some battles that he could not run from, and this was one of them. From the looks of it, the leader of this particular Joui subsect had planned things so that Katsura would be unable to run - surrounded on all sides by hostile forces, and with his only escape routes blocked by the strongest of the lot.

They'd made a single grave mistake, though. Katsura did not like to kill if he didn't have to, especially if his foes were fellow Joui... but that did not mean he was incapable of fighting. With the lessons from his teacher rising to the front of his mind, Katsura placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but did not draw it; he didn't think these men would listen to reason, but there was no harm in trying.

"...What is it that you want from me?"

The enemy leader gave a simple shrug in response, and a condescending smirk crossed his face. "Your head, of course. Don't get me wrong... I respect you and your faction for the number of victories you've tallied against the government. But you've gotten soft, you know... people like you, who leave their targets with a chance to get back on their feet, only cause problems. You're not needed anymore... not by the Joui, and not by this rotten nation."

"I figured as such..." Katsura breathed a heavy sigh, then drew his sword; if nothing else, he could teach these men a sound lesson. "Then, let's see whose way is correct... shall we?"

As if triggered by their target's words, the entire group charged at once; Katsura fended them off with relative ease, his figure a blur as he parried and countered strike after strike, using the flat of his blade to knock his foes aside. Most of them were terribly unskilled - even though he was surrounded, Katsura didn't even break a sweat, and it wasn't long before he spotted a gap in the barrier.

He charged through to escape, but the enemy leader caught his arm; the black-haired Joui looked at his assailant, somewhat stunned by the sudden action. It was the chill of steel pressed against his throat that jolted Katsura out of his momentary surprise, and he knocked the blade aside with his own before attempting to wrench his arm out of his foe's grip.

"That's another thing I don't like about you," the enemy leader stated, voice unwavering. "You're like a little rat... you run and hide when things don't go your way. And sometimes even when they do-"

It was at that exact moment that an explosion sent the group into chaos; Katsura recognized the source as the Shinsengumi's artillery, and with his foe distracted, he took the opportunity to run. This time, his most hated foes had been a boon... but there was still a chance that he'd get caught.

Katsura ducked back into the alleyway and concealed himself as best he could behind a trash can. If all went well, the Shinsengumi would only notice the more violent Joui that he'd been fighting.

"You're the bombers, aren'tcha?!" The voice was a familiar one, rough and commanding; the leader of this particular Shinsengumi squadron was none other than Hijikata himself. "We finally caught you bastards... you're under arrest for wanton destruction of personal property and attempted murder!"

A second voice, softer and more even in tone, interjected. "There's an easier way to deal with these guys, you know. They've had it coming for a while, haven't they?"

Katsura froze up as another explosion sounded from just outside the alleyway; it was followed, somewhat predictably, by Hijikata's voice. "What the hell are you doing, Sougo?! We're supposed to bring them in, not kill them!"

The first division captain was there as well, and Katsura almost felt sorry for the other Joui... but that thought only crossed his mind for a moment or two. The confusion provided excellent cover, and so long as he wasn't spotted by a watchful officer, Katsura could make his escape with relative ease.

He darted out from the cover of the alleyway and sprinted off; it wasn't long before the sounds of the explosions became distant, and a moment's pause revealed that he was not being pursued. For the time being, the investigation could wait... and if nothing else, Katsura had obtained a _lot_ of valuable information from this particular Joui faction.

* * *

Kyubei didn't even know why she was still out. It was getting late, and the moon was obscured by thick clouds; a storm was brewing, and this wasn't the time for anyone, much less her, to be out and about. Her guardians were most likely wondering where she'd gone... perhaps Toujo, in his unrelenting overprotectiveness, was already seeking her out.

There was little else to do, and nothing in particular compelled her to stay out... logic dictated that it would be better for Kyubei to return home as soon as possible. But at the same time, she didn't want to... and didn't know _why_ she didn't want to.

And then, her instincts flared up - she sensed the hostile aura of a man out for blood. Without even thinking, Kyubei turned and drew her sword, blocking a strike that would've killed her otherwise; the set of eyes that glowered at her from behind the offender's blade belonged to someone she knew.

It was Katsura. _Again_. The very _last_ thing she wanted to deal with tonight.

"...Impressive as always, Sir Kyubei," the Joui leader mused, his voice low. "Your technique has not dulled in these times of strife... though I still want to know why you fled last time."

"Because it didn't make any sense," Kyubei responded in a flat tone. "You tried to kill me. _Why?_"

Katsura narrowed his eyes and frowned; it seemed that he thought the answer was obvious. "You are my rival. Your position threatens me... your personality, your looks, and sometimes even the way you dress... they're all too similar to me. With you around, I'll be forgotten by those I care about... and perhaps even by time."

Kyubei silently berated herself for asking that question. Katsura almost never said _anything_ sensible, and this particular statement was even _more_ confusing... why did he think that she was a threat to his popularity? And he really _was_ taking this way too far... trying to kill her over something so trivial as _that?_

Katsura was not the sort of person that could be forgotten. Even if there were someone else like him, he would still be the original - and his friends, in particular, would _never_ forget about him.

Knowing his reasons only made this affair seem _more_ pointless. Still, Kyubei decided to humor him for a while; perhaps if she beat him into submission, he'd be a bit less hasty with his decisions regarding her. And, if nothing else, it was good practice - due to her sheltered lifestyle, Kyubei didn't often get the chance to earn real combat experience.

She jumped back and met her foe's gaze, then prepared to attack. "You seem a bit paranoid about this, but it's true that I shouldn't have retreated last time... so this time, I won't hold back!"

* * *

_Author's Notes: Ah, silly Zura. Getting worked up over the most pointless things._

_Bleh, really? This chapter's even shorter than the last one? I need to start paying closer attention...  
_

_Characterization is still giving me headaches, but I think it'll get better as the fic goes on. Well, I __**hope**__ it'll get better. I noticed no one reviewed chapter 2, which really disappoints me, but I guess it can't be helped... so if you don't mind, please drop a review, okay? It helps more than you'd think!_


	4. Calm Before The Storm

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: And chapter 4. I actually have all of chapter 5 and part of chapter 6 written, but I won't be uploading them just yet - just wait and see!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

Kyubei thought of only one thing as she walked home; the conflict between her and Katsura had grown even more pointless. Even though she, too, craved conflict - it was the only thing that kept her life as a celebrity anything but dull - she wanted a fight with _reason_.

Katsura was a good rival, but for the most part, he was blind to reason. There was no point in fighting over popularity and personality... Kyubei preferred the thought of fighting because of the difference in their social status, but it was obvious enough that such a thing had never crossed Katsura's mind.

Would she ever be able to just _talk things over_ with him? He attacked her or challenged her every time they met - and she was _not_ one to back down from a challenge.

"Yagyu."

Kyubei glanced back, surprised by the sudden address; she was tired, and she wanted to get home as soon as possible, but if the voice was any indication, she had a long conversation ahead of her. And sure enough, Hijikata stood some distance away, his back to a chain link fence and a cigarette between his lips - and furthermore, he did _not_ look to be in a good mood.

"...What is it, Hijikata?" the Yagyu heir demanded, narrowing her eye. "Are you here to warn me again?"

"Hardly." Hijikata crossed his arms over his chest and grimaced. "We caught the leader of one of the Joui factions that's responsible for these bombings. Sougo almost killed the guy, but we managed to take him alive. I'll be interrogating the bastard tomorrow."

Kyubei raised an eyebrow. "...Are you sure you should be telling me these kinds of things? Isn't that supposed to be confidential?"

"It concerns you," Hijikata muttered in response, glaring at her. "Besides, it's not like this kinda stuff _needs_ to be kept secret."

"How does it concern me?" Kyubei blinked twice, a bit surprised by this statement; the hostile Joui _did _concern her, but Hijikata shouldn't have known that - or believed that it was necessary at all to inform her. "I can fend for myself. If they attack me-"

"Katsura."

Hijikata didn't attach any more words to his response; he just looked at Kyubei, his expression flat as he inhaled the noxious fumes from his cigarette. He _knew_ of their connection, and it was possible that he even knew of the escalating conflict between them... but wasn't Katsura Hijikata's enemy? Why would the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi reveal possibly confidential information to someone on account of Katsura?

Kyubei decided to conceal her shock for the time being; Hijikata wasn't so unprofessional as to do something like that without a reason. Instead, she just stared at him and asked, "What about him?"

"He's low priority," Hijikata responded, his tone as flat as his expression. "He hasn't done much lately... and the other Joui _have_. When we have bombings and other random attacks to deal with, people like Katsura just aren't worth the effort... and aren't you friends with him?"

This time, Kyubei did not respond; as much as she wanted to talk to _someone_ about the conflict between her and Katsura, Hijikata was the _last_ person she should tell. They were already treading a fine legal line - even if Katsura was low priority as Hijikata said, he was still a Joui, and thus still a target for the Shinsengumi.

"...Well, I won't tell you to pick your friends more carefully," Hijikata continued. "All we know at this point is that his faction isn't part of this whole mess. And even if he's been causing problems for a while now, I've got my orders... tch. We still don't have anything concrete, but there are rumors that the Kiheitai are behind this."

"The Kiheitai...?" Kyubei mulled this over in her head; she'd heard of the Kiheitai before, although she didn't know that much about them. They were often considered the most extreme of the Joui factions, seeking utter destruction of the country rather than just expulsion of the Amanto - and their leader was, purportedly, an old comrade of Gintoki's. Of course, Katsura had been the source of that information, so she didn't know whether or not to believe it... but either way, if the Kiheitai _were_ involved, this situation was one that even the Shinsengumi would have trouble handling.

Hijikata shook his head and stepped away from the fence. "They're just rumors. We won't know for sure until the asshole we caught coughs something up. Would be a real pain in the ass if it was true, though... I guess Kondo's right. We don't have time for Katsura right now."

At this point, it became obvious that Hijikata was mostly talking to himself; Kyubei was little more than a bystander to him at this point, and she wasn't even that interested anymore. So, with an irritated sigh, the Yagyu heir turned to leave - there had been little point to this conversation from the start, and even though she did know a few more things about the Joui conflict, that information didn't matter to her anymore.

She and Katsura were enemies now. Even if she didn't understand _why_, they were enemies... and his well-being was of no concern to her.

Or, at least, that's what Kyubei tried to convince herself of. There was still a part of her that rejected the notion of them being enemies... although that, too, was something she did not understand.

* * *

Katsura was quite familiar with the feeling of waking up beneath cold rain; his way of life didn't allow for much shelter, and he was lucky if he slept with a roof over his head. His luck _had_ changed for the better in the past few weeks, but his last hideout had been rooted out - and he didn't want to put Ikumatsu in danger, not with everything that had transpired as of late.

It was the low rumble of thunder that first woke him. At first, he mistook it for the sound of Shinsengumi artillery - but that notion was quickly discarded when lightning flashed across the sky, bringing with it another rumble.

Why had the weather waited until morning to turn inclement? Katsura would've loved to have a dramatic background for his fight with Kyubei... but all there'd been to accompany them was a bit of fog.

With a sigh, Katsura picked himself up and trudged out from within the alleyway he'd taken shelter in the previous night. Now wasn't the time to think of Kyubei; another event from the previous night was far more pressing.

He _knew_ that the Shinsengumi had spotted him. There was no man other than Toushirou Hijikata that had a gaze as piercing as the one Katsura had felt... and yet, despite that, they hadn't pursued him. They had focused entirely on the other Joui... but why? Katsura had been a threat - and their enemy - for far longer than these mutinous factions, so why did they ignore him?

The more he thought of it, the less sense it made. Just like his friendship and rivalry with Kyubei-

Katsura shook his head and tried to refocus his thoughts; now was not the time to think of _her_. There were more important things to worry about, such as the reason for the sudden outburst of hostile Joui activity... and why they had targeted him. There was only one person among the Joui that Katsura knew to have this deep of a grudge against him - and yet, for some reason, this incident _didn't_ have the stench of Takasugi about it.

If it wasn't Takasugi, then who was it? With the Shinsengumi's attention diverted for reasons beyond his comprehension, Katsura could investigate this matter; he _needed_ to know why the other Joui were targeting him. And he _also_ needed to know why they were so _persistent_ about it... he knew without being told that none of them would listen to a word he said.

There was only one man who could help Katsura with this undertaking... and that man had already discarded the mantle of the Joui, never to return in spite of his old friend's pleas. And Katsura couldn't even trust his own faction anymore - he was alone in this.

And so, as Katsura trudged along the drenched city streets, with nothing but an umbrella to protect him from the pounding rain, only one question crossed his mind; would anyone even _care_ if he died?

* * *

_Author's Notes: You may have noticed a pattern with character focus thus far. Well, I did, at any rate... that doesn't matter much, though._

_Something __**big**__ is going to happen next chapter - be forewarned!_

_I've decided to stop worrying about chapter length and number of reviews. It's not getting me anywhere XD_


	5. Fragmented Hope

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: Chapter 5, because I was really impatient and this chapter is __**HUGE**__ in regards to the overarcing plot. Why, you ask? Well, read on!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

Katsura couldn't help but take notice of the fact that wherever he went, the Shinsengumi were on high alert; patrols all around the city, disregarding the rain for the sake of their duty, and even a few division captains and... he thought he even spotted the vice-commander once or twice. And though he couldn't hide from all of them, and prepared to flee every single time one spotted him, none of them pursued - their focus was elsewhere, most likely on the mutinous factions.

It was odd that the Shinsengumi had chosen to ignore Katsura for the time being; however, he wasn't complaining. After all, this time, his goal coincided with theirs.

The first hint that something wasn't right came when Katsura approached the office of the Yorozuya Gin; he considered asking Gintoki for help with this, but knew that the odds were against him getting any help from his former comrade. Instead, he turned his focus on a set of eyes that was watching him from afar - he couldn't recognize the face from that distance, but he knew that the Joui were tracking him.

Katsura ducked behind the structure, then peeked out; he couldn't see any other Joui around, but he _did_ see the Shinsengumi vice-commander walking up to the front door of the Yorozuya. A flash of midnight-blue indicated that Hijikata _had_ noticed Katsura... however, that brief glance seemed to serve more as a warning than a threat. It still escaped Katsura's comprehension that the Shinsengumi were ignoring him... but now wasn't the time to worry about that.

Whatever Hijikata intended to say to Katsura, it wasn't good. If even the _Shinsengumi_ were pointing out the danger of the mutinous Joui to Katsura...

However, Katsura's instincts still dictated that it wasn't a good idea to press his luck. Even if he was low priority, and even if it seemed that the Shinsengumi were _helping_ him at some times, he was still their enemy, and still _very much_ a target. He waited until Hijikata had disappeared into the building before he left; there would be no asking for help this time, not from anyone.

Once the structure where his old comrade lived was out of sight, Katsura stopped to breathe; it was difficult running around in the rain, and already his movements were getting more sluggish than he'd have preferred. There was no use trying to run when he couldn't even move... and for the moment, he was safe. No prying eyes, no Shinsengumi patrols-

"Gotcha."

Katsura felt the cold metal of a sword tearing through his flesh, and it was then that he realized that, no, he was _not_ safe. He had gotten lucky noticing the gaze of the observer, but whoever attacked him was skilled in concealing their presence - were the Joui so desperate to kill him that they'd hired rogue ninja just for that purpose?

But regardless of who had done the deed, Katsura was badly injured; just one strike was enough to make him feel faint, and he knew that this wound would be fatal if it wasn't treated. And the worst part was, he couldn't even retaliate - the attacker was already a good distance away, far out of the reach of Katsura's sword.

With everything that had transpired as of late, he supposed he should have seen it coming. No one lived forever, and his life, in particular, had always been a dangerous one. The end of the line would have come at some point, regardless of the means.

And with a sigh of disappointment, the once-prestigious Joui leader collapsed to the ground, his ears only catching a faint peal of laughter over the rain and thunder.

* * *

Kyubei breathed a heavy sigh as she trotted along the streets of Kabukicho; she didn't know if Gintoki would even have an answer for her question, but if anyone did, it was him. She could tell that Katsura's behavior, as of late, was strange even for him... attacking her for no reason, confirming the pointlessness of his attacks with his words, and pursuing a grudge for the most miniscule of reasons.

While they all seemed perfectly in line with Katsura's normal behavior, something was _off_, and Kyubei couldn't quite put a finger on it.

Still, the path to the Yorozuya was a long one - and the roads were wet from the storm, which didn't help matters any. Kyubei could afford to set aside some time for thinking.

She recalled Hijikata's behavior during her talk with him last night; he seemed more amiable than normal, as if he didn't care that the person he was talking about was his greatest enemy. Of course, the vice-commander would _never_ come out and say something like that himself, but there were some things he just couldn't hide... was he _worried_ for Katsura's safety, despite their positions?

Of course, what Hijikata thought of Katsura was of little concern to Kyubei. That nicotine addict could go suck on his mayo all he wanted, as far as she was concerned... the fact that he'd turned up at all last night still irritated her. They'd never been on the best of terms, but Kyubei's opinion of Hijikata seemed to dip lower every time she met him.

Thinking about this whole mess just gave her the biggest headache... or maybe it was the rather persistent inclement weather. As a particularly bright flash of lightning streaked across the sky, Kyubei placed a hand to her temple and rubbed; she couldn't take much more of this. Of Katsura's stupidity, of Hijikata's random interruptions and warnings, of the increasing and annoying Joui threat-

She stopped, dead in her tracks, as she noticed a familiar someone on the ground; that man's long black hair was unmistakable. But what caught her attention more than his visage was the fact that he seemed to be unconscious - and lying in a pool of his own blood.

"...Zura?"

Kyubei approached Katsura, cautious; she had no way to tell if his attacker was still out and about, nor if it was all just a ruse to lure her in so he could kill her. But as she drew near, it became obvious that his injury was _not_ a ruse - that blood was real, and the wound in his side looked rather deep.

Someone had attacked Katsura with the intent to kill him... but rather than giving him a quick death, they'd left him to bleed out in the street. How long had he been laying there, and was it still possible to save his life?

Kyubei told herself that it didn't matter - even if it was hopeless, she would still try to save him. It went against everything she had come to believe as of late... but the fact was, they _had_ been friends at some point, and she couldn't abandon _anyone_ to die without good reason.

Her original purpose for coming here was no longer relevant. All that mattered now was getting Katsura back as quickly as possible... she would be able to treat him once she was back home. After a few seconds of thinking, Kyubei decided that it would be too much effort to carry both him and her umbrella, so she discarded the umbrella and hefted Katsura over her shoulder.

"Hang on. I won't let you die like this."

* * *

_Author's Notes: Now come on, I couldn't just kill off Zura like that, could I? Not when he's one of the main characters of this fic... of course, this __**also**__ means that the focus will shift from this point on._

_Don't expect to see much of the Joui mutiny plot from here on out. I'll resolve it later, but it's not going to be a central part of the story anymore - from here on, the main focus will be Katsura and Kyubei's relationship._

_Thank you for sticking with me this long - this fic is not over yet!_


	6. Sunrise

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: And chapter 6. With some new arc words.  
_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

_"Near-death experiences often make those who have them appreciate the small things in life."_

Katsura awoke to the sound of thunder, and for a moment, he wondered if perhaps this was the afterlife; however, as he made an effort to sit up, the searing pain in his side indicated that no, he wasn't dead.

Far from it... he was _alive_, laying in a bed at an unfamiliar house with his side bandaged up. The first question that came to mind was who had saved him; he'd been left for dead in the street near the Yorozuya, but he didn't think that Gintoki would have spotted him. Plus, the room was much too spacious to be part of the Yorozuya office... so that left out _that_ possibility.

For a moment, Katsura considered a different possibility - that he had been taken in by the Shinsengumi after being wounded, and would be put to trial as soon as he was healed. But he didn't hear anything other than rain and occasional thunder... the Shinsengumi compound would have been much noisier.

The door to the room slid open, and on the other side stood a blond-haired man with conspicuously squinty eyes. Katsura recognized that man, but he couldn't put a finger on the name-

"I see you're awake, Mr. Katsura. Is there anything you'd like me to bring you?"

Katsura shook his head, noting that even that small action caused him pain. "...N-no, I'm fine. Ah... where am I?"

The blond-haired man closed the door behind him and stepped in. "You're at the Yagyu estate. The young master found you outside the office of the Yorozuya and brought you here... you were in terrible condition when you arrived, and I'm grateful to see that you're awake now. The young master... was quite worried about you, you know."

"Sir Kyubei... brought me to her place?" Katsura connected the dots in his head, and his foggy memory cleared a bit; this man was Ayumu Toujo, Kyubei's caretaker and guardian. "...I see. I... appreciate the hospitality, however..."

"...You are concerned because there are violent Joui seeking your head." Toujo gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "The young master informed me of that as well. Do not concern yourself too deeply with it - I will protect you at her orders, and I am not the only one who wishes to protect you."

He gestured to the wall, and Katsura glanced over; a girl sat against the wall, her eyes closed as if dozing. At first, Katsura was confused as to why Toujo would consider someone so young and vulnerable-looking for the position of bodyguard - then, he noticed her pale skin and vermillion hair, and the purple umbrella propped up next to her.

So the Yorozuya _had_ gotten involved after all. Even if Gintoki didn't come himself, he knew someone just as capable of protecting a wounded patient - perhaps even moreso.

"...Hm." Katsura mulled this over in his head for a few more seconds, then smiled a bit. "Yes, of course. With Leader by my side, those backstabbing scum will hardly be able to lay a finger on me... ah, I just thought of something. Mr. Toujo, could you bring Sir Kyubei here? I... would like to thank her in person."

"She is presently quite busy, but I will ask her to visit you," Toujo responded. "And... I doubt that she will be occupied for long." He paused and gestured at Kagura, who still seemed to be asleep. "Ms. Kagura, please take care of Mr. Katsura in my absence. If he needs anything, please don't keep him waiting."

At the sound of those words, Kagura snapped to attention; she offered Toujo a quick salute, and a silly grin crossed her face. "Aye-aye, captain! I'll make sure Zura gets everything he needs, yep!"

"...It's not Zura, it's Katsura." Katsura groaned a bit at Kagura's enthusiasm; for some reason, his entire body seemed to hurt, and her rather loud voice did little to ease that. "And... please keep it down, Leader."

Kagura did not respond verbally, but she _did_ make a face in Katsura's general direction.

* * *

While he waited for Toujo to return, Katsura decided to think things over a bit; the events of the past few days had been a blur, and the first thing he had recalled was the fact that the other Joui were still out for his head. He wouldn't have to worry about that for the time being, though - even if Katsura himself was injured and unable to fight, the other residents of the Yagyu household, as well as Gintoki's assigned bodyguard, could keep him safe until he recovered.

Katsura did not have the first clue how long it would take for him to recover, though. It was evident enough that Kyubei had saved him before he lost _too_ much blood, but the wound was still deep... and he couldn't move around much in this condition, a fact that would inevitably lead to restlessness.

And speaking of Kyubei... he had no idea what to think of her now. They were rivals, and he had instigated a conflict between them with little actual point, but she _had_ saved his life in spite of that. A small part of him wanted them to go back to being friends, but he didn't know if that was possible after everything that had transpired.

Was she still angry with him for his stupidity? Had she figured out the _real_ reason why he attacked her like that?

Katsura considered it a small blessing that the door opened just as he reached that train of thought; he _didn't_ want to think of that at _all_. He looked up at the door, still on guard - and just about fainted when he saw Kyubei's attire.

More often than not, she wore masculine clothing; due to her upbringing, she tried to hide her feminine side as much as possible. But this time was different... her attire was clearly feminine, with her normal black eyepatch replaced by one resembling a flower, and her hair tied up in pigtails on either side rather than her usual ponytail.

Katsura attempted to stifle his thoughts about Kyubei - she did look _quite_ cute in that - and instead cleared his throat and waved his hand. "...Ah. Hello, Sir Kyubei."

"Hello, Katsura." Kyubei stepped into the room, closing the door before Toujo could follow. "You... wanted to speak with me? I... ah, sorry about taking so long. I was... busy..."

"...I heard as such," Katsura said with a nod, then attempted to avert his eyes; there was no way he'd be able to focus on the conversation with her looking like _that_. "There's no need to worry about it, Sir Kyubei. I... should apologize myself, actually. For... assaulting you like that."

Kyubei did not respond to that, and for a moment, Katsura wondered if he'd said something wrong; however, she walked over to the side of his bed and sat down, offering him a reassuring smile. It was best to lay those incidents to rest for the time being... after all, Katsura couldn't fight, and he _couldn't_ tell her the _real_ reason he'd done that in the first place.

For now, he would just have to act normal - at least, as normal as he was capable of acting. Many people had told Katsura that his mere presence was endlessly irritating, and he sometimes wondered if Kyubei felt the same way about him...

"Is that all?" Kyubei asked, snapping Katsura out of his momentary reverie. He made an effort to shake his head, then once again averted his gaze.

"N-no. That's... not all. I... wanted to thank you in person. Ah... I mean, for saving my life."

Kyubei gave a quiet snort in response. "I'm not so cruel a person as to leave someone for dead like that. But I..." She stopped for a moment and looked away. "...oh, no."

"Um?" Katsura tilted his head at Kyubei, confused. "Is... something the matter?"

"...no, I..." Kyubei inched away from Katsura, shaking a bit. "...I made a mistake. Um... s-sorry. I-if that's all, I... have some business to... attend to..."

Katsura blinked a few times as Kyubei stood up and hurried to the door; he didn't know what had gotten into her all of a sudden, but it wasn't his place to ask, so he just waved his hand in farewell.

Though their conversation had answered a few questions, it still left many in the air... such as _why_ Kyubei had dressed in such an adorable outfit for their meeting.

* * *

_Author's Notes: I should probably address this before anyone gets too confused - the reason Elizabeth isn't showing up is because I don't really like writing in him/her/it. So it's been shoehorned out of the plot. May be referenced later, but for now, it's irrelevant. I should have addressed this sooner, but meh._

_Also, I'm changing the genre around to fit the new tone of the fic. Only other thing I have to say is, __**pay attention**__._


	7. Searching for Answers

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: Chapter 7. This chapter was a __**royal**__ pain in the ass, and I don't really like how it turned out, but I'm putting it up anyway because I can._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

Some time after the meeting with Kyubei, Katsura ended up dozing off; he was still tired and weak, and his fears about the mutinous Joui had been laid to rest for the time being. And he could trust Kagura with his back - even though she _looked_ small and harmless, she was a member of the Yato clan, the strongest known Amanto in the galaxy.

In retrospect, Gintoki had chosen a _perfect_ guard for Katsura. Kagura's pale countenance served as a warning for _anyone_ who dared to trespass - except, perhaps, for another Yato, but as far as Katsura knew, there were none among the Joui.

When Katsura awoke from his nap, it was already evening; the lingering storm clouds had dissipated, leaving a spectacular sunset in their wake. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room, he noticed that someone was positioned above him - and the only thing that kept him from panicking was the sea-blue hue of the person's eyes.

"Heya, Zura! You feelin' any better?"

Katsura winced at the loudness of Kagura's voice; even though she'd been assigned as his bodyguard, and even though he trusted her with the job more than just about anyone, she _really_ needed to learn to keep her voice down. "...It's not Zura, it's Katsura. And to answer your question... yes, I feel a little better, but I'm... still in pain."

Kagura moved aside, and Katsura noticed that her action seemed to alleviate the pain a bit; had she been _sitting_ on him? He would have to remind her later that he did not possess the accelerated healing of the Yato, and that it wasn't a good idea to sit on _any_ wounded person, regardless of species... but for the time being, he had a question or two to ask her.

"...May I ask you something, Leader?"

Kagura gave a half-shrug and a brief nod in response. "You can ask me anything, yep. What's on your mind?"

Katsura was silent for a few seconds; then, he glanced over at her. "Did you come here of your own volition? And... is Shinpachi here as well?"

"Shinpachi isn't here, nope." Kagura tilted her head a bit as she spoke. "And, um... Gin wanted to come help you out, but I wouldn't let 'im, uh-huh. He's got other things to deal with, yep."

She paused, and a fond smile crossed her face.

"Besides, I'm the 'leader', right? I can't leave my _subordinate_ behind, nope."

Katsura guessed that this was Kagura's own special way of showing that she cared; in spite of their past conflicts, he had grown close to the Yorozuya, and he suspected that they returned the favor - at least to an extent. If it weren't for his compromised position and physical state, Katsura would've hugged Kagura in response... instead, he settled for returning her smile.

"Thank you for your concern," Katsura mused, as he made an effort to sit up - which just as soon ended in him giving up. "...What, exactly, is Gintoki occupied with? I know that it's rude to ask, but I'm curious."

Kagura made a face. "The tax-robbers asked him to do something. He wouldn't give me any details, nope. Said I shouldn't get involved... the jerk."

"You have your own role, Leader," Katsura stated. "Have faith in Gintoki. He would not have devised such a plan without knowledge of the results." He rolled over on his non-injured side, wincing a bit. "...My apologies, but I'm still tired. May I rest a while longer?"

"Uh-huh." Kagura scooted back over to the wall and propped herself up against it; it wasn't the most comfortable of positions, but it did offer a good vantage point. "Go sleep, Zura."

Katsura decided not to correct her this time; there wasn't much point in doing so, and he lacked the energy to object anyhow. As he drifted off to sleep, he entertained himself with thoughts of an old friend - one that the others most likely didn't remember anymore.

* * *

Katsura awoke from a dreamless sleep at the sound of his name being called; he couldn't recognize the voice, but it was smooth and masculine. He sat up in bed, blinked a few times, and rubbed his head as he attempted to gain his bearings; the wound hurt a lot less than it had before he went to sleep, and he wondered if his new guardian had taken care of it while he was asleep.

A snoozing, red-haired figure was propped up against the wall; Katsura guessed that Kagura had fallen asleep some time after he did, a fact which worried him a little. Still, he didn't have much _need_ to worry - the person who had called him stood at the entrance to the room.

It was the stroke of midnight... why was Toujo awake at this time?

"Mr. Katsura." Toujo stepped over to Katsura's bedside and sat down, beckoning his young master over from the shadows. "There are a few things I'd like to address, if you do not mind."

Katsura watched Kyubei as she walked over to seat herself opposite Toujo; for a moment, the Joui leader wondered if this was some kind of meeting. He didn't concern himself with that thought for long, however... if it _was_ a meeting, he had to pay attention.

"First and foremost, you are staying here against the will of the young master's family." Toujo's expression turned serious as he spoke, and a distinct frown crossed his face. "As I answer directly to her, I will aid you for the time being... however, you must do all you can to keep your presence a secret."

Katsura gave a small nod of acknowledgment; that _did_ explain the odd choice of time for this meeting. "...Is it because I am a Joui? Sir Kyubei does not seem interested in her family's ties to the government..."

"It is, in part, because of that," Toujo replied. "However, it is _also_ because the young master's father does not approve of her so lightly... 'bringing a man home', as he put it. She... did not ask him for permission first, it seems."

Kyubei stiffened up a bit at these words, and Katsura considered reaching a hand over to console her - but now was not the time, and if he did something like that, he would likely end up thrown through the window. Instead, he just gave another nod, mulling over Toujo's words in his head.

Katsura hadn't gotten to know Kyubei's father well, but what he did know indicated that this was normal behavior.

"...Then, I will have to keep my presence concealed as best I can." Katsura breathed a small sigh; in his condition, that was easier said than done. "Is there anything else you would like to speak with me about, Mr. Toujo?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact." Toujo gestured at Kyubei. "Young master, if you will."

Kyubei hummed her acknowledgment, then lowered her gaze. "The Shinsengumi have found the man responsible for attacking you, Katsura. He has been taken into custody... but we still don't know anything about the faction he came from."

"...They arrested my attacker?" Katsura raised an eyebrow at this; why would the Shinsengumi go after someone who had attacked him? "May I ask, has anyone else been targeted by this person? And... do you know their identity?"

"It seems that the assassin has also targeted the Shinsengumi's commander," Kyubei replied, tone even. "As for the question of identity... Hijikata didn't give me a name. I don't think they know who he is yet."

"Or perhaps you are simply placing too much faith in him," Katsura pointed out with a frown; even if he didn't approve of the exchanges between Kyubei and Hijikata, at least he understood the Shinsengumi's motives to a small extent. "It's strange enough that the vice-commander is giving you this information in the first place... though I suppose that he wouldn't mind helping me if our goals coincide..."

"...That's what he said, too." Kyubei looked away, faltering a bit; she scooted away from Katsura, a distinct frown on her face. "There's no official truce... but Hijikata is keeping his tracks well-hidden. He said that there should only be two other men in the Shinsengumi that are aware of our information exchanges, and they are his subordinate and the commander himself..."

Katsura leaned forward and placed a palm on his forehead, sighing. "That's terribly unprofessional of him... well, I won't complain. Have you received word regarding the other Joui that attacked me before?"

Kyubei was silent for a moment as she processed the question; then, she shook her head and scowled. "...No. The leader of that group doesn't bend easily, not even to the Demonic Vice-Commander."

"I see." Katsura glanced over at Kyubei with a frown; he hadn't been to the Yagyu estate more than once or twice before, and there was a _very _important question on his mind. "...Sir Kyubei, can you lead me to the restroom?"

"Wha-" Kyubei jumped back, startled by Katsura's sudden and _random_ inquiry; she shot a brief glance at Toujo, who didn't seem to be paying much attention. "Um... can you take care of him? I... need to go to sleep..."

Toujo lifted his head just as Kyubei stood up and darted out of the room; with a small sigh, he stood and offered a hand to Katsura. "...My apologies, Mr. Katsura. I'm not quite sure why, but she's rather flighty around you."

Katsura accepted Toujo's hand and, with some difficulty, pulled himself to his feet; then, he winced and clutched his side with his free hand as he fought to keep himself steady. "...I wonder... why. Perhaps... I should... ask her..."

* * *

_Author's Notes: I plan to wrap up the Joui mutiny plot within the next chapter or so. Of course, most of it will probably be off-screen, since I'm trying to shift focus here._

_Also, don't be surprised if updates slow down a LOT. Suffice it to say I have a new... __interest__. I'll fight tooth and nail to get this thing finished though._


	8. A Different Crisis

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: And chapter 8. I'm on a roll here! Here's hoping it'll last..._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

The path to the Yorozuya seemed far longer than normal; even though it wasn't raining this time, every step felt like an eternity, and just trudging on toward that place sapped Kyubei's energy more than any of her previous swordsmanship training.

There were too many things on her mind. While the looming threat of mutinous Joui was no longer a concern, something far heavier had taken its place, and Kyubei wondered if seeking the counsel of Gintoki on this subject would even do any good at this point.

She had been confused for a long time about her relationship with Katsura. When he started attacking her, those thoughts had moved to the back of her mind, but now that he was bedridden and recovering from an injury that could have killed him if it weren't for her intervention-

Kyubei pushed that thought aside for the time being. It was clear enough to her that Katsura probably still hated her, even after she saved his life... that politeness, that unassuming friendliness, was all just a ruse.

With a heavy sigh, the Yagyu heir pushed open the front door of the Yorozuya office. She didn't bother to ring the doorbell this time - Gin had been greeted in far worse manners in the past, and Kyubei was in no mood for pleasantries.

"Yo."

Before Kyubei rounded the corner into the main area, she was greeted with a call and a wave; as usual, the Yorozuya's leader was lazing about in his office, seated behind the front desk with his feet up. Gintoki rarely cared for appearances, and it seemed that today was no exception.

Kyubei noted Shinpachi's absence, but paid it little mind; it was better off if both he and Kagura were preoccupied. Privacy was at a premium in this day and age, and this was one case where it was better just not to question these little coincidences.

"...There's something I'd like to ask you about," the Yagyu heir mused, as she seated herself in one of the seats at the center of the room. "Um... well, to be honest, it's more like... something I just wanted to get off my chest."

"Why're you asking me?" Gintoki inquired, raising an eyebrow, as he lowered his feet to the floor and stood up. "If you wanna get something off your chest, why don't you just talk to Otae?"

Kyubei shook her head and frowned. "She doesn't know Katsura. And..." She paused and lowered her gaze. "...n-no. Never mind..."

"Finally getting over her, eh?" Gintoki gave a small nod, then plopped himself down opposite Kyubei. "But with Zura... you some kinda masochist or something? I'd feel bad for any girl who wanted to date him. The guy's a pain in the ass at his best."

"No, it's nothing like that, I..." Kyubei trailed off, considering Gintoki's words; even though she wanted to deny it, even though _it made no sense_, maybe he was right about that. Maybe she _did_ think of Katsura in that way... maybe that was why this whole incident had weighed on her mind so much as of late.

Due to her upbringing, Kyubei had always considered herself a man at heart - she couldn't feel attracted to men, and only pursued women, such as Tae. But for reasons she couldn't explain, there were exceptions to that rule... she had been helped by Gintoki many times, and there were times when she felt something about him that she never expected, but that was _Gin_ - there were few women that _didn't_ like him, contrary to his constant complaints.

Katsura was something else entirely. He was just about the most frustrating person that Kyubei had ever met; his mind was incomprehensible even to his friends, and it was almost impossible to tell how he truly felt half the time. But, at the same time, he was a good person - he cared for his friends, he often went out of his way to help and protect total strangers, and he had made an effort to reform the Joui toward less violent ways, even though it hadn't succeeded in the end.

"...Nothing like that, huh." Gintoki interrupted the brief silence as he leaned forward and propped his head up on his hands. "You're spacing out like that and it's 'nothing like that'?"

He paused and waited for a response from Kyubei, but received none; with a long sigh, the Yorozuya leader leaned back again and closed his eyes. "Ask him out."

_That_ was enough to get a rise out of Kyubei; she flinched, then stared at Gintoki for several seconds before saying, "What?"

"Ask him out," Gintoki repeated, unfazed. "Don't know if it'll work on someone like Zura, but you can't just leave it hanging like that, right? If you like him, do something about it. Even if he says no, it'll be off your chest either way."

Kyubei continued to stare at Gintoki, more than a little surprised by his insistence; after what seemed like an eternity, she took a deep breath and gave a small, hesitant nod. "...I-I'll try. As stupid as it sounds... you may be right about this. But I won't- I can't get my hopes up..."

"What's said is said." Gintoki stood up and stepped toward the door, then stopped and looked over at Kyubei. "Do what you want. Expect what you expect. Me, I got some Joui bastards to deal with."

Kyubei could do nothing but watch as Gintoki left her with those parting words - words that felt far too deep and meaningful for someone like him. But, in the end, she knew he had a point... there was no way she'd get anywhere if she didn't get this weight off her chest.

And besides, her love for Tae had been fruitless all along; there was no point in pursuing empty dreams.

* * *

Thus far, the day had been uneventful for Hijikata. He was told to go on patrol at _exactly_ this time for the sake of rooting out the remaining violent Joui... but all he'd seen thus far was the obnoxious face of the first division captain. Sougo, as usual, had done his best to make Hijikata feel both uncomfortable and angry; there was no stopping the little sadist ass when he got his mouth running.

Between Sougo's constant needling and their utter lack of success, Hijikata was starting to consider calling off this attempt. Even if these orders were given by Kondo himself, there was little point in continuing on... after all, they hadn't spotted anything suspicious yet, and there was nothing to indicate that they _would_ at any point in the near future-

"Yo, Mr. Oogushi!"

Hijikata placed his hand on his forehead and groaned. That deep voice and that annoying nickname heralded the approach of just about the _last_ person he wanted to see... and, sure enough, a decorated scooter came up beside the patrol car, mounted by a certain familiar smug-looking bastard with a fluffy mop of silver hair atop his head. With an obnoxious sadist on either side, the Shinsengumi vice-commander had nowhere to run; all he could do was resign himself to the inevitable fate of having his sanity torn to shreds by those he was forced to consider his allies.

_Why_ had he thought to enlist the help of the Yorozuya leader? What sort of dark force had possessed Toushirou Hijikata to ask one of the people he hated most to help him on a mission that was already scheduled to be stressful?

With no other retorts available, Hijikata settled for the most obvious response to Gintoki's greeting. "...Who the hell is Oogushi?"

"Oh, Boss!" Sougo waved at Gintoki, ignoring Hijikata. "You coming on this mission too? I didn't hear anything about that."

"Yeah, Mr. Oogushi asked me to help out," Gintoki replied. "I still don't like having to help you tax robbers, but he promised a good paycheck, so-"

Hijikata drew his sword, paying no mind to the restrictions of the patrol car's interior - or the fact that he was driving - and pointed it at Gintoki through the window. "You won't be getting _anything_ if you don't cooperate! And stop calling me that!"

"Oi, settle down there!" Gintoki snapped back. "I went through the hassle of rooting out your targets for you, y'know... the least you could do is _cooperate!_"

The patrol car swerved to the side, and Hijikata lamented the fact that his momentary lapse of control _hadn't_ led to the destruction of Gintoki's scooter. "You asshole! _You're_ the one that's supposed to be cooperating! Quit screwing around and show me where they are!"

"_You_ quit screwing around!" Gintoki pointed at a seemingly harmless warehouse, then sped up. "They're _here!_"

Hijikata considered arresting Gintoki for speeding, but dismissed the thought just as soon; no matter how much of a pain in the ass he was, the Yorozuya leader _had_ promised to help out on this mission. And thus far, there was no _reason_ to arrest him... after all, it wasn't uncommon for police to disregard speed limits on road chases, and the Shinsengumi were no exception.

Still, the vice-commander hoped that Gintoki was thankful for the fact that they were on the same side. If it weren't for that, the silver-haired nuisance would've been in jail in two seconds flat.

"Look out, Boss!" Sougo produced his trusty bazooka and aimed it at the warehouse, ignoring the flat look he received from Hijikata. "I think I see Hijikata next to the door!"

Gintoki pulled up in front of the warehouse, and the ensuing explosion from Sougo's bazooka caused him to fly off the scooter; he hadn't heeded the sadist prince's warning, and the only thing that kept him from breaking a bone or two was the fact that Hijikata had stopped the patrol car and started off toward the building. As the two men collided with each other, Sougo stepped out of the car and glanced over at them; for a moment, the first division captain lamented his insufficient forewarning, but then dismissed it on the grounds of Hijikata's apparent injury.

Of course, it seemed that, despite their wounds, Gintoki and Hijikata hadn't stopped yelling at each other. And, to make matters worse, there were a fair number of rather angry-looking Joui crowded around the hole in the warehouse's front.

"You sure these are the right ones, Boss?" Sougo inquired. "They look like they're from Katsura's faction."

Gintoki pushed Hijikata off of himself and gave a single nod in response. "They're the ones. First they attacked Yoshiwara, then they tried to kill their own leader... tch, this is why I left the Joui. They say they're trying to save the country, but they're really just blowing stuff up."

Hijikata fell silent for a moment as he pondered Gintoki's words; however, he didn't get very far before the Joui charged. With a resigned sigh, the Shinsengumi vice-commander made a mental note to tell Kyubei about this later - he couldn't relay the information directly to Katsura, and his choice of intermediary left a lot to be desired, but if nothing else, she was guaranteed to carry out any such mission provided to her.

* * *

_Author's Notes: THE PLOT THICKENS. Well, actually, this is probably the last you'll be seeing of the Joui mutiny plot, but meh. I hope I wrapped it up well enough - that latter half of the chapter makes me itch for some reason._

_From this point on, it's just gonna be Katsura and Kyubei. It took me long enough to get the main ship going!_


	9. Unfortunate Truths

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: Chapter 9. This one didn't turn out quite as I expected it would. XD_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

Kyubei spent most of the day pondering Gintoki's advice; she still wasn't sure about a lot of things, including how she really felt about Katsura, and she didn't want to jump into something she couldn't handle - or didn't want. And even though the idea did sound appealing, there were too many factors... it was hard enough to tell what Katsura was thinking most of the time, and there was the possibility that he would turn down the offer.

In addition, Kyubei herself wasn't even sure where these thoughts came from. She had been friends with Katsura for some time before, and even though they didn't talk much until he declared their rivalry, they were on good terms - but nothing far enough to consider as anything more than friendship. What had spurred the sudden change of attitude? Was it related to the incident with the mutinous Joui, and her distant desire to preserve their friendship?

There were too many questions and not enough answers; by the time the sun set, Kyubei no longer _wanted_ to think about the details. As she approached the room that Katsura was recovering in, she once again recalled Gintoki's advice - in specific, his statement regarding the potential consequences of taking action.

There was no harm in asking... and Toujo was still absent. Kyubei decided that if she was going to pose the question to Katsura, it _had_ to be while her guardian wasn't around.

Still a bit hesitant, the Yagyu heir slid open the door to Katsura's room and peered inside. Kagura was asleep, an occurrence that seemed to be regular; for a moment, Kyubei wondered if it was even worth it asking _her_ to play the role of bodyguard. But on the other hand, Katsura appeared to be safe; he was dozing off in his bed, eyes wide open as always.

In the end, Katsura's safety was what mattered more than anything. Kyubei dismissed her thoughts regarding Kagura's sleeping habits and sat beside Katsura's bed, waiting for him to notice that she was there.

It didn't take long - due to Katsura's lifestyle, he was quite alert, and only a few seconds passed before he raised his head and looked up at Kyubei. "...Good evening, Sir Kyubei. Are you well?"

"I'm... fine." Kyubei's voice came out a bit quieter than she intended; she breathed a small sigh and lowered her gaze, well aware that there was no hiding her anxiety. "...I wanted to ask you about something, if you don't mind."

"...Yes?" Katsura raised an eyebrow, curious; he could tell already that something was amiss. "Is this about our rivalry? I... haven't thought of that much lately. I suppose that, for the most part, I've lost interest..."

"N-no, it's... not about that." On the inside, Kyubei felt relieved; if he wasn't thinking about their rivalry anymore, that meant one thing out of the way, but she still couldn't let her guard down. "I... have been thinking about this for a while. You're still recovering from the attack, right?"

Katsura glanced down at his injured side, then nodded. "Yes, although I seem to be healing fast. I... can almost walk unaided now... I must admit, I'm impressed by the medical prowess of the Yagyu."

"...our medical prowess isn't anything special," Kyubei murmured with a frown. "I think it's your own stubbornness, more than anything."

"Regardless, I'm grateful for your assistance." Katsura pulled himself into a sitting position, then glanced over at Kyubei once again. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask about?"

Kyubei froze up for a second, then looked away, blushing hard; even though she'd gathered her courage in advance, it was still almost impossible to say the words. She could feel her heart rate increasing, and she placed a hand on her chest in an attempt to calm it... but it was no use, and she couldn't muster the strength to speak.

If nothing else, this confirmed to her one thing - she _did_ like Katsura. The fact that she couldn't get the image of his smiling face out of her head, even as she _tried_ to ask him a crucial question, was proof of that.

"I-I..." Kyubei took a deep breath, then tried to speak again; this time, her attempt was far more successful. "...when you've... recovered... m-maybe... um... would you... mind... going... out... w-with...?"

"Going... out...?" Katsura blinked a few times as he registered Kyubei's words; after several seconds, he spoke again, his voice quiet and hesitant. "...I-I'm afraid... that I'll have to decline for the time being... I apologize, but... I have to think about it. I did not expect... something like this..."

Kyubei did not respond at first. She was prepared for this answer; a small part of her even _expected_ him to reject the notion, but at the same time, it was still... disappointing. Katsura _was_ a stubborn man, and such a thing as saving his life wasn't enough to change that - and yet, his words struck a different sort of chord with her.

He said that he would think about it. That was quite a bit more hopeful than an outright refusal.

"...okay. I'm sorry I asked." Kyubei pulled herself to her feet as she spoke; her expression was flat, betraying no emotion. "I'll... leave you be for the time being. Please be careful with your wound."

Katsura watched Kyubei as she left the room, a distinct frown on his face. He was tired, and thinking about this could wait... but somehow, he felt bad about turning her down.

* * *

After that night, Katsura lost track of time; with Kagura on guard duty and Toujo looking after him, he had as comfortable and peaceful a life as was possible. He was questioned every so often by Kyubei's father, and those moments were the most irritating by far - Katsura soon became sick of being told that he would be leaving the house as soon as he got better.

He never planned to overstay his welcome, anyhow. He wasn't that sort of person... the thought of asking the Yagyu for help already didn't sit right with him.

Kyubei kept her distance for the most part, but she _did_ come and chat with Katsura every so often; he suspected that she was still a bit sore about him turning her down, but at the same time, there was no obvious resentment from her. Katsura decided that he would have to make a more sincere apology at some point or other - but now was not the time.

Of course, the unchanging days did come to an end; one morning, Kagura returned to the Yorozuya, leaving only a message that she was tired of bodyguard duty and that there was no need for her to stay any longer. Katsura was confused about this at first, but chose not to question it at first; however, his curiosity surfaced again that evening, and he decided that he would ask Kyubei about it.

Katsura's wound had healed enough that he could move about unaided - he was still sore, but that was to be expected. So, with the cover of darkness blocking him from the watchful eyes of the other residents, he crept off toward Kyubei's room; he waited outside for a moment or two before placing his hand on the door.

"Excuse me. Sir Kyubei?"

Several seconds passed before the Yagyu heir answered; she opened the door and looked up at Katsura, blinking. "...Yes?"

"I... wanted to ask you something." Katsura did not move from his position, as he wasn't sure what Kyubei would think of him entering her room without her permission; instead, he leaned against the outside wall and closed his eyes, a distinct frown on his face. "Why did Leader leave?"

Kyubei took a moment to decipher what Katsura meant by 'Leader', then cocked her head to the side. "It's as she said. Her contract's over... you don't need protecting anymore."

"Don't need protecting?" Katsura raised an eyebrow at this. "What do you mean by that?"

"The violent Joui factions have been dealt with," Kyubei replied, her tone even. "Things are starting to settle down... although you're still low-priority. Hijikata told me... that the ones who attacked you were your _own_ faction."

Katsura fell dead silent and stared at Kyubei in absolute disbelief; he _never_ imagined that his own subordinates - his _comrades_ - would turn against him. He considered, at first, the possibility that one of them was lying, either Kyubei or Hijikata... but he dismissed that thought just as soon. Though he was an enemy, the Shinsengumi vice-commander was not a liar... and to suspect Kyubei of lying was the same as tarnishing her honor.

After a lengthy silence, the Joui leader closed his eyes and shook his head. "...I considered them my comrades. It's very disheartening to know that they did not see me in the same light... did I go wrong somewhere? Was my path a foolish and hopeless one?"

"...No." Kyubei stepped forward and narrowed her eye at Katsura, unwavering. "You have done nothing wrong. It is they who have transgressed... _you_ have followed the right path. Don't blame yourself for the wrongdoings of others - have pride in your beliefs."

Katsura gave a small nod in response; though he was still uncertain, Kyubei's words eased his concern. "Thank you, Sir Kyubei... um, I'm sorry for bothering you."

"You're not... bothering me." Kyubei blinked twice and frowned a bit. "That was something you needed to know. When it comes to things like that, you may ask at any time."

"I'll keep that in mind." Katsura stepped away from the wall and started to walk down the hall, pausing for only a moment to look back. "If... you want to talk to me, ah... I'll be in my room."

As Katsura left, Kyubei's mind turned to his prior strange behavior; although it seemed unlikely at this point, she wondered if his attacks were little more than an attempt to deny his interest in her.

* * *

_Author's Notes: I couldn't resist the title drop! I'm sorry about that. XD_

_Don't worry, things will be resolved in due time. Until then, be patient!_


	10. Innocuous Ideas

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: And chapter 10. I'm cranking up the fluff-o-meter appropriately for this one._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

When he awoke the next morning, Katsura mulled over the events of the past few days - he didn't know how long it had been, and berated himself for not asking Kyubei. He still felt guilty about turning her down, even though it seemed the best decision at the time... after all, they _had_ been rivals, and the idea of a date was silly and preposterous.

Of course, the notion was surprising enough in the first place. Katsura would have never guessed that Kyubei _liked_ him, all things considered; she had always been persistent in her pursuit of the _same_ gender, and even so much as light contact from men caused her to react without thinking. Katsura did recall the first time he attempted to touch Kyubei - to be more specific, when he attempted to restrain her - and he still recalled the pain and the bruises from that memory.

For such a small person, she was _very_ strong. Strong enough to throw people through windows and down hallways, at any rate.

It was for that reason alone that Katsura didn't understand _why_ Kyubei had asked him out. If she was starting to feel attracted to him, then what did that mean? Why _him_ of all people? If there was any man she liked, wouldn't it have been Gintoki?

Katsura brushed the thoughts aside for the time being; as strange as her proposal was, it _had_ happened. It was time that he made amends... or at least _tried_ to. After all, the reason he'd attacked her in the first place was because of denial - he didn't _want_ to feel that way about her, as it was strange and confusing and went against every convention and rule in his mind. Back then, Katsura had believed that erasing Kyubei from existence would be enough to stifle his feelings... feelings that he didn't understand and would never be reciprocated, no matter how hard he tried, _just because he was a man_.

Why had he turned her down in the first place? Was he still trying to deny it? Or was he just in such disbelief that he wasn't thinking properly after she made the offer?

For the moment, Katsura decided to ignore his nagging thoughts - and came to the realization that he was standing right in front of the door to Kyubei's bedroom. He didn't know if she was awake yet, and he didn't want to take any chances... but perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to wait outside until she awoke, since he _did_ need to talk to her.

"Good morning, Katsura."

The voice startled Katsura, and he looked around for its source before he realized it had come from inside the room. As it turned out, Kyubei _was_ awake, and she had noticed his presence... had he neglected his stealth while lost in thought?

The door opened, and a rather bedraggled-looking Kyubei stepped out; it was obvious that she hadn't been awake for long. "Is there any reason you're standing in front of my bedroom?"

"...good morning, Sir Kyubei," Katsura mumbled, as he moved away from the door. "N-no, I was just... ah, thinking, and... somehow ended up here. I... my apologies, did I bother you?"

Kyubei shook her head. "No, you didn't bother me... I was a bit surprised, but it's nothing to worry about. Um, would you like to talk?"

"...y-yes." Katsura glanced over at Kyubei, hesitant; was now really the time to talk about this subject? "I... have been thinking about, um... your previous proposal. I-I wanted to apologize... for that, I... wasn't thinking clearly at the time and..."

"You... already apologized for that." Kyubei blinked twice and tilted her head. "Is there a reason you're apologizing again?"

"Y-yes, it's because I..." Katsura trailed off, blushing, and tried to regain his composure; he recalled that Kyubei had been very nervous when she asked him out, but he never expected his _own_ confidence to plummet when he planned the same. Still, it was natural - he had almost no experience in romantic endeavors, and this was one case in particular where it was very difficult to break the ice.

"...because you...?" Kyubei blinked again, and her head tilted further. "Because you... what?"

Katsura took a deep breath and steeled himself as best he could - there was still the chance that she would reject him, and rejection from Kyubei often involved a lot of pain. "I- I... changed my mind. I, um... I wouldn't mind... going on a... date... with you..."

Kyubei stared at Katsura for several seconds, unblinking; then, she looked away and blushed. "...you... changed your mind...? I... I see... um, o-okay, then... maybe... later today...?"

"Y-yes, that's... that sounds good," Katsura replied with a nod. "Ah... um... thank you. And... I'm sorry for, ah, imposing..."

"You're... not imposing." Kyubei lifted her gaze, and a small smile crossed her face. "And... you don't need to apologize. I... I don't mind."

"I-if you so insist, Sir Kyubei." Katsura gave a quick bow, then turned back toward the direction of his room. "I... um, I'll be waiting... so, ah, when... when you want to go out, come... see me, okay?"

Kyubei waved at Katsura, her smile broadening. "I will."

* * *

When afternoon came, the sky began to cloud up; it wasn't uncommon for the weather to turn inclement during the summer, but Kyubei still worried about the possibility of rain. She didn't want anything to ruin her planned date with Katsura - and thinking of rain only reminded her of that time he was unconscious in a pool of his own blood.

She never wanted to remember that image again. It wasn't like the Katsura she knew; he was a strong, stubborn and well-kept man, and even though his lifestyle was dangerous, he had lived through all his trials and failures. Just the _thought_ of seeing Katsura on death's door like that terrified Kyubei... she had come to realize just how much he meant to her.

Was she in denial all along because of their differences and their rivalry? Did she not want to admit that she cared for a man because he was a man?

Kyubei reminded herself that it was all in the past now; there were more pressing issues to address at the moment, not the least of which was the effect that rain would have on their date. She had heard whisperings from her friends that people didn't like to go out in the rain... and while she knew that was true for everyday life, did it apply to dates as well?

Then, the thought came to Kyubei that she didn't know what defined a date in the first place. Due to her sheltered lifestyle, the only reason she knew what one was at all was because of her friends... and she didn't want her own lack of knowledge to impede things any.

It was no use worrying about it, she told herself. The Yagyu heir stood up and left her room, pondering as she walked toward Katsura's room; whether it rained or not, she was determined not to let the weather ruin this for them.

And, as Kyubei stepped up to the door to Katsura's room, a devious plot unraveled in her mind; she slid the door open, just enough to peek through, and greeted him in an unfaltering tone.

"Excuse me, Zura."

Katsura, who had been sitting with his back turned to the door, whipped his head around at the sound of his hated nickname. "It's not Zura, it's-"

He cut himself off right there, and a sheepish look crossed his face as he raised a hand in greeting. "...er, good afternoon, Sir Kyubei. Did you... come to see me about the date?"

"Y-yes, um..." Kyubei pushed the door open and stepped inside; she immediately averted her gaze from Katsura, her face red. "...Do you know anything about dates?"

"A-about... dates...?" Katsura blinked a few times as he registered Kyubei's words; he had never stopped to consider the possibility that, even though she had asked him out, she didn't know that much about dates. "N-no, I... haven't been on one before. I... suppose that you don't know anything, either...?"

Kyubei shook her head, then looked down. "N-no... I... I don't... not... really. I... s-sorry, I... maybe I shouldn't have..."

"...No, ah, d-don't... worry about it." Katsura offered Kyubei a smile, then stood up. "If neither of us... know the _proper_ manner, then... perhaps we can do this... on our own terms?"

"On our... own terms...?" Kyubei repeated Katsura's words, placing a hand to her mouth; all things considered, it _seemed_ like the best course of action, as long as they could agree on something. And even though Katsura _was_ disagreeable most of the time, odds were that he would make an exception for today - after all, it was _her_ idea in the first place, and she knew him well enough that it wasn't too farfetched a thought that he considered her the one in charge here.

"Yes... on our own terms." Katsura gave a nod of affirmation, and his smile broadened a bit. "I'll allow you to decide our terms... if that's what you'd prefer. Although... I do have one request..."

Kyubei tilted her head, curious; as she expected, he was deferring to her, but this _request_ surprised her a bit. "...What kind of request?"

For several seconds, Katsura did not respond; rather, he turned his gaze to the floor, and his face turned a shade of scarlet that Kyubei had never seen on him before. Whatever the request was, it was probably something embarrassing... either for him or for her, or perhaps for both of them, but she didn't allow that notion to deter her. This was _their_ day, after all, and the only request that she _wouldn't_ follow was one she doubted he'd make-

"Ah, um... c-can you... wear that... dress...?"

It took a moment for Kyubei to register Katsura's request; she _had_ dressed up for him when they talked after she took him in, but that seemed a silly reason for him to make such a request. When she recovered from the initial shock caused by this notion, she stared right at him and blinked a few times, hoping to convey her confusion.

Katsura cleared his throat and looked up, though his gaze wasn't on Kyubei. "...I liked... how you looked in it."

"...ah." Kyubei nodded once, comprehending; the reason behind Katsura's request wasn't as complicated as she thought, and that knowledge eased her nerves a little. If he just wanted her to wear it on their date because he thought she looked good in it, then that was acceptable - for a second or two, she _almost_ thought that Katsura was just being his incomprehensible self again.

"Um, I-I'm sorry." Katsura made an effort to meet Kyubei's gaze. "This is a... preposterous request, I know... I won't force you to-"

Kyubei shook her head, and a genuine smile crossed her face; in the grand scheme of things, this was downright _trivial_. "I'll wear it, Katsura. I think... even if this date is on our own terms... it's normal to dress up for dates, isn't it? I... _think_ it is..."

"Then... ah... thank you." Through his embarrassment, Katsura managed a smile of his own; he stepped a bit closer, still wary of intimidating her. "...Have you decided our terms?"

"I think... a simple affair would be best," Kyubei replied, her tone still a little unsteady. "We could... walk around town. And... perhaps we can... eat dinner together. Um... is that acceptable?"

Katsura hummed his acknowledgment, then tilted his head a bit; already, ideas for their date were brewing in his mind. "Yes, that's acceptable... I know a place where we can eat. Do you like ramen?"

* * *

_Author's Notes: One guess. Just one. It shouldn't be that hard._

_I know that second half was incredibly corny at parts, but hey, this is Katsura and Kyubei. They're not going to be __**normal**__, are they?_


	11. Heart to Heart

**Denial of Interest**

_Author's Note: Chapter 11. This is the last chapter, so it's a bit long._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama. It belongs to Hideaki Sorachi._

* * *

In retrospect, their paths were decided long ago; even though they both had grown close to someone, their affections were unrequited and would _always_ be, no matter what sort of events came to pass. A childhood sweetheart who turned toward a different road, a widow whose heart was still trapped in the past... though these people were their dear friends, that was _all_ they would ever be.

However, as Katsura led Kyubei into the Hokutoshinken, he decided that maybe it was better that way; their paths had crossed in the end, and their hopeless dreams were but a thing of the past now.

"Good evening, Katsura!" Ikumatsu waved at the pair from behind the counter, her demeanor unusually cheerful. "I haven't seen you in a while... ah, is that your girlfriend?"

Kyubei twitched at Ikumatsu's words, but said nothing; Katsura decided that it would be a good idea to stay as far away from the Yagyu heir as possible, at least for the time being. Even though it was, in a sense, true, Katsura doubted that Kyubei would admit to such a relationship so easily... and even though she told him that she didn't mind him holding hands with her on the date, he didn't want to press his luck.

"She's a friend of mine," Katsura insisted, as he seated himself by the window. "She's lived a very sheltered life, so I'm showing her around town."

Ikumatsu raised an eyebrow at the rather conspicuous lie, but chose not to press the subject; instead, she went about her usual duties as the owner of a ramen shop, eying Katsura from time to time. She'd heard of some internal conflict among the Joui, but details were scarce, and she suspected that the reason Katsura hadn't visited in some time was because he somehow got wrapped up in the mess. She _did_ notice that he had a slight limp as he walked into the building...

"...Sir Kyubei." Katsura turned his attention toward Kyubei, who still seemed a bit miffed about the 'girlfriend' remark. "Could you please relax? Miss Ikumatsu did not intend any offense with her words... and I suppose that, at this point, it may as well be true."

Kyubei relaxed a little, though her eye was still narrowed. "I... suppose you're right about that. But... you mentioned her quite a few times while you were recovering... what sort of relationship did you two have?"

"We are close friends," Katsura replied, his tone quiet. "At one point, I... may have felt something more for her, but I can assure you that she does not feel the same about me. Her husband was killed by the Joui some time ago, and... I believe that her heart still lies with him."

"...I see." Kyubei nodded in comprehension, then glanced over at Ikumatsu. "She runs this shop by herself, then? I can see why you liked her..."

Katsura chose to ignore Kyubei's choice of words; it was difficult to discern whether her statement was a comment on Katsura's character or a simple case of regressing into old habits. Instead, he opted to change the subject - there were more important things to discuss than Ikumatsu.

"Have you received any further details regarding the mutinous Joui?"

Kyubei turned back to Katsura and tilted her head. "...Yes, Hijikata called me after we spoke this morning. It was your faction that hired the assassin, but all evidence points to the likelihood that their hands were tied - in other words, they didn't willingly betray you, but were coerced into doing so through violence. The assassin... was a loose cannon to begin with. I suppose that's why they picked him... because they didn't want to stain their own hands with your blood, and they could think of no one else to do the job."

Katsura breathed a small sigh of relief; though he did regret not seeing his old comrades off, this information lifted quite a weight off his mind. "...Then, I suppose that the leader of the faction who attacked me before finally opened his mouth?"

Kyubei hummed and nodded once in response. "Yes, he did. Hijikata told me that he was scheduled to be executed, but did not give any further details."

"...Hm." Katsura glanced over at Ikumatsu, then turned back to Kyubei and smiled a bit. "Since this mess has been dealt with at last, I suppose I'll go back to running and hiding. It was... pleasant, not being the target of the Shinsengumi for once."

"You're _still_ low priority," Kyubei stated in a flat tone. "I'm not sure what Hijikata is thinking, but he said that you won't be targeted for a while. According to him, there are 'other, more dangerous Joui that need to be dealt with'... although I'm not sure what he means by that."

Katsura breathed another sigh, this one heavier. "There are many Joui factions, and not all of them are as pleasant as mine... as I'm sure you're aware by now. My greatest concern now is that _Takasugi_ will take advantage of this situation to make his move... you know of the Kiheitai, yes?"

"...yes, I believe that Hijikata mentioned them once or twice," Kyubei said with a frown. "They weren't the ones at fault this time... but you do have a point. Wasn't Takasugi an old comrade of yours?"

"At one point, I considered him that." Katsura closed his eyes and lowered his head. "He and I, along with Gintoki, were students under the same teacher... and we fought as allies in the war. But his ambitions have changed, and now he seeks only destruction-"

"_Excuse me_." Ikumatsu interrupted the conversation as she stepped up to the table, her hands on her hips. "Did you come here to eat, or did you come here to chat?"

Katsura blinked twice, then looked up at Ikumatsu - and gave a meek nod in response. "Y-yes, my apologies. I got carried away... in that case, I suppose... I'll have the usual..."

"And as for you?" Ikumatsu turned to Kyubei, who looked somewhat terrified. "Oh, and while I'm at it... I'm afraid I can't apply the discount to you."

Kyubei blinked twice, in a near-perfect imitation of Katsura's reaction. "...The usual."

Ikumatsu placed a hand on her forehead and groaned; today promised to be a _long_ day.

* * *

By the time Katsura and Kyubei left the Hokutoshinken, it was evening; the skies had opened up, and only a few people dared to leave shelter in the inclement weather. Katsura hadn't brought an umbrella of his own, and he didn't dare to share one with Kyubei - even though she said it was okay to hold hands, he _still_ didn't want to press his luck.

Kyubei noticed this shortly after they left the building; Katsura's clothes were already drenched, and he showed no inclination toward preventing further waterlogging. She breathed an exasperated sigh and moved closer to him, tugging him beneath the safety of her umbrella; he stared at her in shock for several seconds, but she just shook her head and smiled.

"...You shouldn't get yourself wet on my account, Katsura."

Katsura tilted his head, confused. "Are you sure, Sir Kyubei? I... we're awfully close to each other like this, and... ah, doesn't it... bother you?"

"No, it doesn't." Kyubei blinked twice, then pulled Katsura _even closer_ - she draped her free arm around his neck, and her head rested on his shoulder. "From this day forward, you're an exception... having you this close doesn't bother me."

"...ah." Katsura's face turned a brilliant shade of scarlet, and he peered down at Kyubei with both eyebrows raised. "Um, are you sure...? I-I don't want to impose-"

"Yes, I'm _sure_," Kyubei stated, as she gave Katsura a light squeeze. "I will _not_ have you holding yourself back - or getting yourself wet - on my account. Please don't make me repeat myself again."

"...If you insist." Katsura shivered a bit, and Kyubei suspected that it was not because of his wet clothes; with a small sigh, the Yagyu heir let go of Katsura and stepped away, though she made sure to keep their distance small enough that she could cover _both_ of them with the umbrella.

Katsura really was a troublesome man at times, but Kyubei didn't mind it in the slightest... his stubbornness was as admirable as it was irritating.

"Where are you going to live?" Kyubei asked, her tone serious; she knew what sort of life Katsura lived, and she didn't want him sleeping in alleyways or anything of the sort. "Your faction has been apprehended... do you plan to stay with Ikumatsu?"

Katsura shook his head and sighed. "...No. She's suffered me enough, and I don't want to put her in any further danger. Not until I'm certain that things have settled down on the Joui front... I suppose I'll have to live on the streets again. It is a dishonorable way of life, but... I have little choice in the matter."

"You can stay with me," Kyubei offered with a half-shrug. "So long as you can keep yourself hidden in my house... my father is _still_ upset with me for bringing you home."

"...I wouldn't want to impose on you." Katsura frowned a bit, then tilted his head. "But I'll consider it. At the very least, I know I'll be safe there."

"No, you wouldn't," Kyubei stated. "You would be much safer staying with Ikumatsu. When Toujo finds out about this, he'll have your head... and that's not to speak of what my father will think."

"Then I suppose we'll have to prevent them from finding out," Katsura advised with a small nod. "...Though, may we head back to your place for the time being? There's something I would like to speak with you about... in private."

"Yes, of course." Kyubei hummed her acceptance, but something still nagged at the back of her head; what sort of private conversation did Katsura intend to have? As far as she knew, he wasn't the sort of man to take advantage of someone... and even though they'd gone out on a date, there had been no formal declarations of interest, no promises to continue going out.

She'd enjoyed holding him close, but _that_ had been to prove a point; when all this was over, would she ever get the chance to do something like that again?

* * *

As soon as they entered her room, Kyubei closed and locked the door; she was anxious to hear what Katsura wanted to say, and she _didn't_ want any interruptions. And yet, at the same time, she was well aware of the possible consequences of locking herself in her room with a man... but she _trusted_ Katsura, perhaps more than anyone else in the world at that moment.

"...What did you want to talk about, Katsura?" the Yagyu heir inquired, hesitant. "Is this..."

"Am I still allowed to touch you?" Katsura countered Kyubei's inquiry with one of his own; his expression betrayed nothing, though she could see a faint glimmer of _fear_ in his eyes. What reason did he have to be _afraid?_

Kyubei nodded once in response, leaning against the wall as she watched Katsura. "Yes, you can touch me... so long as you do not intend to-"

Before Kyubei could even finish her sentence, Katsura shook his head violently; she flinched at his reaction, more than a bit surprised by his apparent insistence. If he didn't intend to do unsavory things with her, then what was the purpose of asking that question? They were here to talk, so why-

Kyubei received her answer when Katsura pinned her against the wall and met her gaze; this time, he didn't bother to hide his emotions. He still looked afraid, but there was also a hint of longing... she still couldn't decipher what his intent was, but it seemed that, more than anything, he was _nervous_, and perhaps just a bit embarrassed. She couldn't blame him for that - their position was somewhat compromising, and _she_ was starting to feel nervous, but she also knew that there was no need to fear him.

But even though Kyubei thought herself to be prepared for _anything_ from Katsura, his next declaration left her staring in blank shock.

"I love you, Kyubei. I have... for a long time now."

It wasn't Katsura's sudden dropping of the silly honorific that he had always used to describe Kyubei, and it wasn't _what_ he had said - his honest tone of voice, the passion and intensity with which he made the statement, made her unable to respond, and for a few seconds, she wondered if he had really said it. Their date had gone well, and there was certainly some mutual attraction between them, but... _love?_

Noticing Kyubei's lack of response, Katsura averted his gaze and sighed. "...I'm sorry. This notion must sound stupid to you... and I know that... you don't feel the same. But I... couldn't deny it any longer... not after everything that's happened between us. I wanted to tell you... so that I could leave those sentiments behind and move on."

Kyubei took a moment to recover from her shock; while his statement _had_ caught her off-guard, she was _not_ offended by it - rather, she was _happy_, as it meant that her feelings were the same as his. In the end, Katsura wasn't the only one that had tried to deny their feelings... and Kyubei figured that now was as good a time as any to set things straight between them.

"No, _Kotarou_. That isn't true."

This time, it was Katsura's turn to be surprised; Kyubei's expression and tone were both dead serious, and _she had used his first name_. All this time, she had referred to him by his last name or 'Zura', as everyone else did... but her sudden switch was enough to make him blush to the tips of his ears.

Kyubei didn't wait for an answer; she leaned closer to him, then continued speaking. "I know... that it may sound strange coming from me. But... you shouldn't leave those sentiments behind... I _do_ feel the same. I love you as well, Kotarou... I've felt that way for a long time. So..."

She trailed off, and Katsura blinked twice as he processed the words of the Yagyu heir. The mere _thought_ was preposterous - he wouldn't have believed Kyubei's words if they hadn't come straight from her mouth. And yet, despite his shock, Katsura was relieved... he didn't have to deny himself anymore.

"...thank you, Kyubei." With that simple declaration, Katsura closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against Kyubei's; it was a brief and fleeting gesture, barely fit to be called a kiss, but it was enough to demonstrate his intent. And, to his relief, Kyubei accepted the gesture with a warm smile - she almost looked _disappointed_ that the kiss had not lasted.

As he pulled away, Katsura turned his attention toward Kyubei's damaged left eye; the flower eyepatch was still covering it, and he didn't recall if he'd ever caught more than a glimpse or two of what laid underneath. He didn't know the story behind her left eye, and he had never bothered to ask about it... but now, he couldn't hold back his unrelenting curiosity.

Kyubei caught notice of Katsura's inquisitive glance, and she tilted her head at him as she pulled the eyepatch off. "What is it?"

"Your left eye..." Katsura placed his hand on the side of Kyubei's head, then rubbed his thumb over her scarred eye. "...How did you lose it?"

"...when I was young..." Kyubei hung her head and trembled a bit; even though she didn't want to talk about this subject, she _also_ didn't want to hide it from Katsura. "...I gave it up for Tae. And... she wanted to take its place... but... that..."

"I understand." Katsura pulled Kyubei into a tight hug, resting his chin atop her head. "I know... that it won't be the same as it was with her. But... may I be your left eye?"

Kyubei blinked up at Katsura, surprised; however, she soon relaxed, and nuzzled her face into his chest. "I wouldn't mind that..."

"...then, I will." Katsura pulled away from Kyubei, and he noted her slight whimper at the loss of contact. "I... shouldn't stay here much longer. I don't want your father to be upset with you, and... I have other things I need to attend to."

Kyubei nodded in comprehension, then fitted her eyepatch back on and stepped back. "Can we... keep dating? I enjoyed today... and I want to do that again."

Katsura walked over to the door, then glanced back at Kyubei; he offered her his best smile as he slid the door open. "Yes, we'll definitely go out again... I promise. I'll see you again tomorrow, so please get some rest."

"You too." Kyubei waved at Katsura, and met his smile with one of her own. "Farewell, and good luck."

* * *

_Author's Notes: In retrospect, it was probably a bad idea to put this whole thing all in one chapter, but I dun care. I like how it turned out, and I hope you do too. 83_

_Many thanks to all of you who stuck with me for this whole fic - don't think this is the last of it! I still have sidestories to write, and __**maaaybe**__ a sequel... though I'm not 100% sure about that one yet. :P_

_Fare thee well, and I hope you enjoyed this!_


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